Our Piwakawaka team has been learning about ‘God is Love’ this term. We made beautiful hearts on St. Valentine’s Day using crayons and watercolours. We have also enjoyed singing and dancing to God’s Love Is by John Burland. During Religious Education we talked about the love we have for our family and friends. Term 1 is also a time to make new connections with new children to Mt Carmel and we have welcomed Jacob, Dominic, Max and Mia into our school. We are learning about each other through our History Boxes where children bring special items from their early years to share and discuss with others. These items are such precious taonga of children's early days. Thank you parents for your help with this. 

Ngā mihi, Gina Potter.

As we farewell our Year 6 students, we would like to thank them for the contribution they have made to Mt Carmel this year. Throughout the year they have taken on responsibilities, shown leadership skills and been role models for the rest of the school. From House Captains to bell ringers to sports monitors, they have taken on jobs with enthusiasm and efficiency. They have also been “Tour Guides” showing new families around the school, organised our Mini Olympic games and have given Hamid a helping hand when needed. We think they have done a great job and will head off on their next journey with the Mt Carmel Values of Strength and Kindness firmly in place. Best wishes for your future!

All term the Pukeko class have been growing vegetables as part of our living and giving curriculum.

This week Sister Marie Brown from Te Waipuna Puawai  came in to collect our bounty, she was so impressed with our little garden and the fantastic vegetables that have been grown there

She planned to take the vegetables away in her van to give straight away to the grandparents she knows who are raising their grandchildren.

Te Waipuna Puawai grew out of the work of the Sisters of Mercy and from Mercy house based in Waddell Ave from 1990. In 1999, Te Waipuna Puawai opened its doors in Glen Innes to the Tamaki community, invited by the women of Glen Innes who were looking for support for personal and professional development, with a focus on childcare.

At the beginning of Term 4, we dedicated the first week to revisiting all the rich and wonderful learning that occurred in Ruru, especially focusing on Time. We had an engaging maths lesson where students used their bodies to form the hands of a clock based on the time chosen. This activity was a huge hit! The children thoroughly enjoyed it and made incredible connections between measurement and the lengths of the clock hands. It was truly fantastic to witness their excitement and understanding!  

Caritas Social Justice
At the end of Term 3, Mt Carmel participated in Social Justice Week through Caritas. In Takahe, we read stories about how different people face injustice. The stories were sad but made us want to create a sense of Peace for all.
Takahe reflected on creating Peace within Mt. Carmel and our class. We discussed the importance of forgiveness, which may be difficult but is essential. Through Jesus's actions and teachings, we reflected on what we can do to be more peaceful, forgiving, and grateful people.
To further develop our understanding of Peace, we thought about how Peace feels, sounds, tastes, touches and looks. From our reflections, we created artwork of 'Peaceful moments.'
Here are some moments students felt Peace

• At the beach
• With my family
• Patting my dog
• Watching a sunset
• Sitting by a campfire
• Sounds of birds chirping
• The smell of Mum's perfume

If you would like to see our art based on Peace, it is in the Hall.

On Thursday mornings, our Piwakawaka team have been trialing Outdoor Learning in the Enchanted Garden. This is a great opportunity to learn through play in the outdoors in our beautiful natural setting. First, we meet together on the steps to discuss some of the activities we might do. We also discuss boundaries and any agreements we have made. Then, we go off exploring the Enchanted Garden. We have been investigating insect habitats, collecting beautiful leaves and completing nature scavenger hunts. Sometimes we take books, paper and PE equipment outside with us. We love running, jumping, swinging, balancing, climbing and moving our bodies while we learn. We are so lucky to have our classroom right next door to the Enchanted Garden. Look at all our amazing finds!

Kiwi C kick-started their new Topic for the term of Bees with an art piece. Students learned, and followed a three- step process on how to draw a bee, flower, followed by hexagons for the beehive as a background (which is not as easy as you think when joining them together!). A draft of the designs was drawn in the students' Topic book, prior to starting their good copy. We used techniques learned from last term for the Art Show in using coloured pencils to add that pop of colour to each piece. Tino Pai Kiwi C, you worked hard on these, and the artwork looks wonderful! 

Tui Class are proud to share with you their Tui Birds!  The feathers for these beautiful birds have been created over the past couple of terms during our Mitey lessons, the mental wellness programme that we have been teaching at Mt Carmel.  The unit we have just completed focused on the students learning about their identity and each other's special qualities.  Throughout the unit, they examined feelings, thoughts and actions, and identified and developed ways to foster healthy friendships.  The feathers on the Tui birds are unique to each student.  They explain things that each student likes, their strengths, good friends, a time they have felt brave, and something special about their whanau.  Whilst each of these birds represents a special member of Tui class, they collectively show that they are a flock of amazing individuals who strive to help, support and protect each other.